NewsHound 033 September 8, 2005 Dear urbanhounders, Animal welfare groups are making heroic efforts to save and shelter dogs and cats stranded by Hurricane Katrina. One way you can help is by donating money or supplies, or by offering to take in a homeless dog. The Humane Society of the United States has been evacuating trapped animals and operating emergency shelters. The ASPCA is collecting supplies for local shelters and helping to identify dogs and reunite them with their guardians. The North Shore Animal League's mobile rescue units are now returning to Long Island with dozens of dogs in need of homes. Other extraordinarily dedicated organizations include: The Houston SPCA; United Animal Nations; Noah's Wish; Best Friends; and The American Humane Association. We're awed by and grateful for their dedication. Much closer to home, urbanhound.com is stepping into politics by endorsing Democrat Mike Beys for City Council District 2. We're biased: Mike is married to one of our lead hounds (Cheyne Beys). Still, he gets our vote because he's enormously qualified and truly committed to improving the lives of all New Yorkers. Besides, if elected, Mike Beys promises he'll fight for dog-friendly salt to be used on city streets in the winter. We like that. With best fall-foliage wishes to you and your hounds, yours, Nina Munk & Nadia Zonis P.S. There are more great dog events this month than ever. Below we list 18. Enjoy! Hound of the Moment Learn all about Sasha (and make your dog a contender for the next Hound of the Moment). Hot topics on Hound Talk Is there a kennel cough epidemic? What's the best way to remove pee smells? »  Want to advertise in NewsHound? Contact our marketing team. »  Is there an event you'd like us to list? Let us know. »  Looking for an old issue of NewsHound? Visit our archives. UrbanHound Tips »  Dogs everywhere in New York City, it seems, are coughing and all stuffed up. Kennel cough is the culprit, and it's highly contagious. UrbanHound's vet, Betsy Brevitz, has word on just how serious kennel cough is and if the kennel cough vaccine actually works. »  Now that summer is over, does your dog still need flea, tick, and heartworm prevention? Get Dr. Brevitz's advice on keeping your hound pest-free all year. »  Here at urbanhound.com, we're hard at work updating our list of the city's Best Hound Shops. This influential list includes our choice for "Best All-Round Pet Supply Store" and "Best Accessories for Dogs That Are Accessories." If you'd like to nominate a favorite store, please drop us a line. »  No dog run in your neighborhood? Get to work! Check out urbanhound.com's practical and detailed guide to starting a dog run. Sponsor Leashes and Lovers: Where Dog Lovers Meet Have a dog gone good time at these dog-friendly Leashes and Lovers events in NYC! Fri, Sept. 9: Dog Days of Summer Pool Party Sun, Sept. 11: Big Dog Hike with Outdoor Bound Sun, Sept. 18: Dog-friendly Pub Crawl in the East Village with City Hunt RSVP at www.LeashesandLovers.com or by calling 718-216-4988. Hound Events Cooper Park Dog Run Party & Fundraiser Friday, September 9, 5 PM to 10 PM Grand Central Bar, 659 Grand St. (at Manhattan Ave), Williamsburg, Brooklyn The purpose of this party is to help raise the money needed to finish building the new dog run at Williamsburg's Cooper Park. The BBQ and DJ are free to all who attend. There's also a cash bar and a raffle with prizes donated by local businesses. Visit the Cooper Bark website for more information. Free Dog Training Day Friday, September 9, Noon to 8 PM PS9 Pets, 169 North 9th St. (btwn Bedford and Driggs), Williamsburg, Brooklyn To promote her business and improve our dogs' manners, Empire of the Dog's Denise Herman will offer free dog training and behavior tips all day at PS9 Pet Supplies. Apart from advice, treats for humans and dogs will also be served up. Coffee Bark Saturday, September 10, 7 AM to 9 AM Prospect Park, Brooklyn Because of Labor Day, this long-standing social has been re-scheduled this month: it's being held the second Saturday of September instead of the first. Plus, donations will be collected for the Humane Society's Disaster Relief Fund. Held in rain or in shine, in the park's Long Meadow, behind the Picnic House (enter at Prospect Park West and 4th Street, then go left around Picnic House), Coffee Bark includes muffins for humans and dog biscuits for hounds. It's sponsored by Brooklyn's FIDO, officially known as the Fellowship In the Interest of Dog Owners. Community Board 17 First Annual Dog Show Saturday, September 10, 1 PM to 4 PM (rain date: Sept 17) East 40th St. (btwn Foster Ave. and Farragut Rd.), Brooklyn If you're a resident of Brooklyn's East Flatbush, Remsen Village, Farragut, Rugby, Erasmus, or Ditmas Village, this event is for you! Your Community Board hopes to educate locals about dog licenses, spaying and neutering, choosing a vet, health care and nutrition, pet health insurance, and the pooper scooper law. On the less serious side there will be a dog fashion show, awards, and prizes. For more information email Community Board 17 or call 718-467-3536. Castle Senior Center Dog Contest Saturday, September 10, 2 PM to 4 PM 1 Prospect Park West (at Grand Army Plaza), Brooklyn The Good Dog Foundation trains therapy dogs to visit sick kids, seniors, and others who will be cheered by a friendly hound. They've organized this event at one of the places they regularly visit for those who want to meet Good Dog representatives and find out if their dog is suited for therapy dog training. The New York City Pug September Meetup Sunday, September 11, Noon to 2 PM Happy Paws, 316 Lafayette St. (at Houston), Manhattan The fast-growing New York City Pug Meetup Group consists of hundreds of Pugs and their people who chat online, meet regularly, and socialize. Their next event takes place at the new Happy Paws "resort" in SoHo. To attend, you must RSVP. Fort Greene PUPS Annual Stoop Sale Saturday, September 17, from 10 AM 299 DeKalb Avenue, Fort Greene, Brooklyn This event raises money for the wonderful Fort Greene Parks Users and Pets Society (aka PUPS). Bring your gently used items to donate the day of the sale. PuppyMill Awareness Day Saturday, September 17, 9:30 AM to 2 PM Wolfe's Pond Park, Hylan Blvd and Cornelia Ave, Huguenot, Staten Island The objective of this free festival is to educate the public about the harm caused by puppy mills, and to promote pet adoption and spaying and neutering. Along with a mini-fair with contests, games, and face painting, there will be expert speakers and information booths. This is the NYC offshoot of a movement started in Lancaster, PA, the heart of puppy mill country. For more information, visit the PuppyMill Awareness Day website. America's Search and Rescue and Service Dog Day Saturday, September 17, 10 AM TO 5 PM U.S.S. Intrepid, Pier 86 (12th Ave and 46th St.), Manhattan Primatologist and UN Messenger of Peace Jane Goodall will be the keynote speaker at this event hosted by the Bear Search and Rescue Foundation and designed to recognize the contribution of service dogs, especially search-and-rescue dogs and Federal Service K-9s. On hand to receive their awards will be heroic dogs. As well, various service dogs will demonstrate their skills. For information visit the host's website or the Intrepid Sea, Air & space Museum's website. 3rd Annual AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day Saturday, September 17, 11 AM TO 3 PM (rain date: Sept 18) Madison Square Park, Fifth Ave. and 23rd St., Manhattan The American Kennel Club invites all hounds, purebred or not, and their humans to this free celebration. Enthusiasts of some less-well-known AKC-recognized breeds like the Löwchen and the Clumber Spaniel will be on hand to introduce their favorites. There will also be obedience, agility, freestyle, and rally demonstrations to watch and Canine Good Citizen testing for those who feel their pups are ready to face the challenge. Low-cost microchipping will also be available at this event, which attracted thousands of New Yorkers last year. Free goody bags will go to the first 500 hounds. 48th Annual German American Steuben Parade Saturday, September 17, Noon on Fifth Avenue, 63rd to 86th Streets, Manhattan Ach, du Lieber! German breeds, including Doberman Pinschers, Giant Schnauzers, Rottweilers, Great Danes, and Dachshunds, are invited to march in this parade down Fifth Avenue to celebrate all things German-American. If your hound is a Hund who would like to participate, email Captain Haggerty to be directed to a breed club organizer, or visit the parade's website. Paws for Diabetes and the Neuropathy Association Wag-a-thon 2005 Sunday, September 18, 11 AM TO 2 PM Carl Schurtz Park, East 84th St. and East End Ave., Manhattan Here are two terrific opportunities for you and your hound to help raise funds for a good cause. Paws for Diabetes is a two mile walk to benefit the American Diabetes Association. The Neuropathy Association Wag-a-thon 2005 raises funds to help those with disorders of the peripheral nerves. A portion of the proceeds of both events will go to the Animal Medical Center. The19th Annual BARC Mixed Breed/All Breed Dog Show and Parade Sunday, September 18, Noon to 5 PM (marchers line up at 11:30) Starts at the corner of Wythe Ave. at North 1st St., and ends at McCarren Park (corner of Lorimer St. and Driggs Ave.), Williamsburg, Brooklyn A beloved Billyburg tradition that celebrates and supports a great local institution, the Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition (aka BARC). Each year hundreds of hounds and their human companions march accompanied by floats, children, and bands. At parade's end there's a dog show and contest. Hounds and their humans are encouraged to attend in costume: this year's theme is "Canines of the Caribbean with a Pirate Twist." Many dogs from BARC and other shelters will be available for adoption. Visit BARC's website or call the shelter at 718-486-7489 to learn more. From the Wild to the Tame: Wolves and Dogs---A Wild Family Tree Tuesday, September 27, 8:15 PM 92nd Street Y, Lexington Ave. at 92nd St., Manhattan Experts from the Wildlife Conservation Society discuss the links between today's hounds and their wolf ancestors, and how these links shape canine behavior. Tickets are $25; $18 for Wildlife Conservation Society members. Call Y-Charge at 212-415-5500 or visit the 92nd Street Y website to order. Animal Rescue NYC Celebration Wednesday, September 28, 7 PM to 9 PM The Cutting Room, 19 West 24th St., Manhattan A benefit for Rational Animal, a non-profit group that works to increase public awareness about the plight of New York's homeless animals and that publishes Trails to Tails, a free New York City animal adoption map and guide. Tickets are $25 at the door. Walking Politely On a Leash Seminar Thursday, September 29, 7 PM to 8 PM Kiki's Pet Hotel & Playcare, 80 Washington Ave. (btwn Park and Flushing), Fort Greene, Brooklyn Trainer Denise Herman will provide free tips and guidelines on how to get your dog to walk well on a leash. Please come without your dog. Space at this event, hosted by Kiki's, is limited so RSVP soon by emailing Denise. First Aid for Cats and Dogs Thursday, September 29, 6 PM to 10 PM American Red Cross, 150 Amsterdam Ave. (at 66th St.), Manhattan Learn how to respond to pet health emergencies. CPR and first aid skills will be taught with hands-on practice. Cost is $60 per person. To register call 800-514-5103. My Dog Loves Central Park Country Fair Saturday, October 1, 11 AM to 4 PM Central Park, 72nd St., between the Bandshell and the Sheep Meadow, Manhattan We like this event so much, we're even a sponsor! Hosted by Central Park Paws and the Central Park Conservancy, this wonderful festival celebrates Central Park's dog community and features tons of games, contests, booths, and events. Trainer Andrea Arden will oversee agility courses and a non-stop cycle of contests for all. Blue Sky Dogs is organizing a hike for (leashed) hounds through Central Park trails. An "animal communicator" will uncover your dog's deepest thoughts (for a $20 donation to the Central Park Dog Fund), a photographer will take your dog's portrait (for $15), and vets will offer low-cost microchipping (for $25). There will also be an ice cream social (for dogs), a hound fashion show, and the chance to see if your dog is well-enough mannered to pass the Canine Good Citizen Test. Phew. To find out more, or to volunteer to help at the Fair, email Central Park PAWS. Annual St. Francis of Assisi Day Blessing of the Animals Sunday, October 2, from 9 AM Cathedral of St. John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam Ave (at 112th St.), Manhattan Dogs of all faiths are invited to this service that celebrates all living creatures. Free tickets to this hugely popular event will be distributed starting at 9 AM, and it's a good idea to get there early. After the service, starting around 11 AM, there will be a festival on the Cathedral's grounds, open to all. For information, go to St. John the Divine's website or call 212-316-7540. A warning to the timid: Because the Blessing of the Animals is so popular, the Cathedral can get packed with animals of every shape and size (including, yes, elephants, camels, and horses, not to mention cats, birds, and reptiles). Closer to the date we'll send out a special email listing alternative services. If there's an event you'd like us to mention in the next NewsHound, please email us. Hound News Hoping to reduce the suffering caused by puppy mills, Congress has introduced a bill called the Pet Animal Welfare Statute (PAWS). To learn more about the bill, and find out how you can show your support, visit the Humane Society's PAWS page. Air travel with your dog just keeps getting tougher. The latest twist? To standardize policies after its merger with America West, US Air will no longer allow dogs to fly as checked baggage. For details, and the latest hound travel information for other airlines, visit urbanhound.com's air travel page. If you'd like to look at a beautiful Lab every month of the year and support a good cause while you're doing it, order a copy of the hot-off-the-presses Long Island Labrador Retriever Rescue 2006 wall calendar, featuring winners of the 2005 photo contest. . About NewsHound Become a member of the urbanhound community today and start getting your own subscription to NewsHound. We promise privacy. 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